The Australian and Tasmanian Governments have announced a public consultation period regarding the application of the Australian Government’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act for the upgrade of the Tasman Highway to four lanes on the Midway Point and Sorell Causeways.
This project is part of the South East Traffic Solution, aimed at improving travel time reliability and safety while maintaining the liveability of Sorell and the Southern Beaches.
Environmental studies are underway to assess the potential impacts on various threatened species and areas, including the Tasmanian live-bearing seastar, the Pitt Water Nature Reserve, migratory shorebirds, and the Pitt Water – Orielton Lagoon Ramsar wetland. These studies will inform the final design and environmental approvals for the project.
The referral is now advertised online through the EPBC Act Public Portal, with a public comment period of 10 business days from Friday, 3 January 2025.
You can view the referral public portal here with the reference 2024/10059.
A decision on whether a proposed action requires Australian Government approval will be made on Monday, 3 February 2025, and the outcome of the decision will be made publicly available.